


My Interpretation of Medusa

by Greyisles



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology, Hellenistic Religion & Lore
Genre: Angst, Bitter Medusa, Experimental Style, F/M, Isolation, POV First Person, Reference to Rape, mixing different versions of Medusa myth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-26 01:25:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16672120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Greyisles/pseuds/Greyisles
Summary: Being betrayed by someone you admire is awful. Athena betrayed my trust, and I was thrown aside.What do you do if you are used?





	My Interpretation of Medusa

I was a devoted to a fault, praising Athena as her priestess. I was happy to not be married off, not to be given away to mortal kings or heroes. I wanted to be free from responsibilities and rejoice in my current life before going into the Underworld.I could have reincarnated to a different woman who is not beautiful or a princess. I could become a new woman or even a man, but that’s not possible.

I’m cursed and I doubt I’ll be able to reincarnate after going into the River of Lethe. I’ll be punished from my unintentional bad deeds.

It all started to because I asked from help from my goddess. I wanted sanctuary from the Earthshaker. I begged for her to provide an intervention, yet he forcefully took me. I only became a priestess when I was younger because of my beauty. 

I wanted to get away from offers of men, and I spent years as her priestess. I thought I would be safe, yet she betrayed me. I wanted to remain chaste for myself and, in turn, for her. She could not sent some kind of divine help to allow me to escape from his embrace. 

Instead she cursed me into this monster. My beautiful hair turned into snakes, my red eyed gaze cause everyone into stone, my nails blacken and elongate into claws, and my canines become longer. Doomed to roam the earth being a monster for something that wasn’t what I wanted. 

Gods are immune to my gaze, I found that out as I was changed when Athena cursed me at the end of the forced copulation. Poseidon was sickened by my appearance, and he disappeared. Athena turned away from me as she cast me aside her temple.

The night guards looked at me and they were turned to stone. I still remember their faces, they had the same horrified looks on all of the faces in Athens. I ran all night to find some hidden place. So many innocent people were turned to stone, either coming near me due to hearing my snakes hiss, or curious of my figure near the river. Fishermen and servants became granite. 

I stole a cloak from one of the stonified mortals to go into self exile. I heard stories of my victims, and in turn, myself. I am a monster to everyone. I look like one and there are grotesque version of my body. I have leathery wings, I have tusks for teeth, my eyes are like fire, hooved feet, leathery skin, black thin lips, and my snakes would bite the nearest living thing. I am a vicious creature, filled with malicious toward my wrongdoers.

I am against that. My snakes aren’t that unruly, they are quite polite. I had to train them, and I finally got used to them curled around my neck when they are bored. It feels nice now, but I hate how they described me. The only one I hate, no, the only beings I hate are the gods. 

They are the ones who are supposed to help us. Sure they have their moods, but it is typically justified. It’s not in my case, I was forcefully taken, and I asked for help before that. The only ones who heard my plea ignored me as I was defiled, and I was punished. I knew we were all playthings to the Gods, but we worship them. We ask for things and occasionally they will move to our will from our devotion. However, Athena didn’t help me despite my pleas. 

I was devoted to her and she turned me into a monster. While there was copulation in her sacred temple, I did not want it. I fought against it, but what mortal can fight against a God? 

I’m angry at the Gods, specifically at Athena and Poseidon. It’s something that no sane Greek will ever think, that the Gods are immoral and despicable. To no longer worship the higher beings because of being wronged due to losing my faith.

I guess that some of the rumors that the other Greeks tell are semi-right. I am angry, but I don’t take it out on everyone. It’s a mistake that people are gazing at me when my cloak doesn’t cover me well. It might be because my snakes sometimes move even though I sing them a lullaby to keep them asleep beforehand. However, at night the marketplaces are loud occasionally when I go out to buy food. There are times where I need to get rid of the statues that occasionally litter the area. At least I gain some strength to hall the statues onto my small raft to my cave. No use in leaving them in the towns as it would alert the Greeks of my presence. It’s best if they believe their countrymen went out to vanquish me and failed to do so. One day one man will be brave and make an attempt on my life, and to that I wish him luck.

I laugh at my grim thoughts. I am on borrowed time and well aware that my notary will soon bring a hero onto the mouth of my cave.

I am alone and hated. I am angry and I have no faith toward the Gods. 

This is something no other Greeks would ever comprehend. To feel the wrath of the Gods upon them, to be hated by all mortals, that is what they fear. To not be favored and discarded like a toy. To not have glory, and have their honor shredded by the teeth of a dog. It is the opposite of what any Greek would want.

That is what I am, and I accept it. 

I sigh as I touch the heads of one of my green mambas, she is named Nefeli, one of the prettiest snakes upon my head because her scales are gorgeous. She is one of my favorites, along with Kostas, because they wrap themselves around my neck to comfort me. The other snakes lick my face or wrap themselves around my arms when I am upset. They are precious things, whose venomous bites do not kill me. I guess even Athena can do something right. 

I hear the rocks shift and the familiar groan of a statue about to fall. There is no crash and I prepare myself for the foolish guest about to meet me. I will not make it easy on him, I do not plan to die quite yet. 

My name is Medusa and I am an ex-priestess. I was also a beautiful young woman before I was contaminated by Poseidon and cursed with a horrible appearance by Athena. I am feared due to my unique ability of turning mortals and minor deities into stone. I am a Gorgon, one of the three “monsters” who has this ability. One day I plan to go out and meet my “sisters” in this large world. I wish to know their stories, if they were a Gorgon by birth, or were they punished for a misdeed not under their control. 

I, a monster, turns to gaze at the mouth of the cave. I see a shadow while I hide behind one of the stalagmites towards the middle of my home. I might as well greet my guest and keep his sword. I can start on making a collection of swords, marking each and every person who comes into my home to kill me. It will serve as a reminder and motivation to seek out my “sisters” across this world. 

I do not pray that they are alive, but I know that they are alive. The world is cruel and I know that they are strong enough to survive it. I just need to collect a few swords and take a few of them to sell. I’ll get enough money to travel to the lands they occupy and be among those similar to myself.

However, those plans are for the future and I must focus on the present. I step into the light and I smile at the foolish mortal. He turns to stone immediately, his head whipping to the side where I deliberately scuffed my sandals on the cavern floor. His lips are parted slightly, in-taking a breath of surprise, and it will remain that way for all of eternity. At least until I decide I should break the statue. Another one added to my small collection around this mostly rocky island.

My name is Medusa and I am a monster.


End file.
